


Neverlake

by softhyuk



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Lowkey fluff maybe??, M/M, Neverlake
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 13:13:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14545494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softhyuk/pseuds/softhyuk
Summary: Mark is just a normal teenage boy who plans of visiting his dad in Italy. Mark liked poetry and art a lot. His mom had gotten really sick when he was 3. his grandma took him to Korea, where he grew up. when his grandma started to suffer from memory loss, he went to boarding school. when Mark was 18, he decided to visit his dad during the holidays. But he wasn’t prepared for what was going to happen there.his dad was a former doctor turned amateur archaeologist. He is currently investigating a lake that has been previously worshipped by the Etruscans.They viewed the lake as a “holy spring of the river-gods.” The Etruscans believed that the lake has “healing powers.” When someone, or themselves were sick, they would throw a bronze statuettes, that represented humans or animals, into the lake as a votive offer. Sometimes they would throw in statuettes of certain body parts too.





	Neverlake

**Author's Note:**

> this Fanfic is based on the movie "Neverlake"  
> i tried following the plot as much as possible but had to change up a couple of things here and there.
> 
> also English isn't my first language so im sorry if there are any grammar mistakes!

“the garden, once fair, became cold and foul  
Like the corpse of her had been its soul  
Which at first was lovely, as if in sleep  
Then slowly changed till it grew a heap  
To make men tremble and never sleep”

 

Mark knows a little about his mother. She moved to Italy at a very young age and grew up there. He was born there too. She got very sick, so his dad decided it was he best for Mark to grow up somewhere else, so his grandma took him back to Korea. He stayed with her for a long time, but she started too lose her memory, so Mark ended up in a boarding school. But Mark was able to go back to Italy for a month.

Waiting for a big, old building, was Marks father. There was a big staircase on 2 sides of the building, the other side led into the city. The bus stopped at one side of the staircase. Mark saw his dad and immediately waved enthusiastically to his dad, who waved back calmly. Mark sprinted up the staircase as soon as he got out of the bus, hugging his dad and then walking to his car. The drive home was about 20 minutes, and the way back was through the mountains in the forest. They loved in a calm place, alone in the woods. No neighbours.

“How’s school? Marks dad finally asks after a little while of silence. Mark smiles and looks at his dad. “everything is fine dad.”  
“how’s that girl doing I met last time I visited you?” he then asks. “You mean Yeri?” Mark looks at his dad, waiting for a respond. “Yes, her. Is she still in love with you?” he asks teasingly. Mark chuckles. “I hope not.” He eventually answers.  
“How’s the food in Korea? Are you eating enough?” Mark nods. “yes dad, I eat enough, the food is pretty good, I like it.”  
“but you look thin, when was the last time you had a check-up?” Mark sighs softly. “I don’t know dad, but I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“Watch out dad, stop!!” mark suddenly yells, and his father hits the breaks. They sit in silence for a few seconds before his father asks if Mark is alright and makes sure he’s not hurt. Mark nods and gets out of the car. He looks around and his father follows him. “He’s gone.” Marks dad says, surprised, still looking around. “yeah I would’ve been gone too, he’s probably scared to death.” Mark answers worriedly  
They look around a little longer before walking back to the car. When Mark gets back in, he sees some pictures laying around on the chair. Probably fell from somewhere. He picks them up and looks at them. Different figurines taken from different angles. Mark is really confused but before he can ask his dad he grabs them out of his hands. He throws the pictures in the back of the car and doesn’t say a thing. Mark silently sits back down, and his father starts driving again. The rest of the drive is silent.

The house looked old but was very pretty. It was a big house hidden in the woods. No neighbours, everything was peaceful.  
The moment they arrive, a woman gets out of the houses. It was Olga, the new wife of his dad. Mark had never met her, so this was his first time. She looked nice and was really welcoming. “Welcome to Tuscany, Mark. I’m Olga.” She smiles politely as she shakes Marks hand. “your father told me a lot about you, you’re a good student.” Mark smiles shyly back as his father approaches. “Olga was my assistant when I used to be a surgeon.” His dad says. “I think I was about your age.” Olga adds. Mark suddenly smiles and asks:” So you knew my mother?” Olga quickly looks at Marks dad, who grabbed Marks bags. “Come on we can talk when we’re inside.” And he hurries inside. 

As soon as Mark walks in he is amazed by the house. The living room was decorated in an older style and had a lot of paintings and statuettes. On the table were several books about archaeology pilled up. One painting caught Marks attention. 

It was a big painting of a lake. The setting was a bit dark and mysterious and 4 people are seen walking into the lake. All wearing white ropes. All 4 of them were holding a little bronze statuette, performing a ritual.

“Is that The Lake of Idols?” Mark asks excitedly. “Very good.” Answers his father. “So those are the Etruscans? Mark continues. “Let’s say that the original painter imagined the Etruscans celebrating their rituals beside the lake.” Mark looks at his dad before saying “Human sacrifices.” In a playful way, and his dad starts laughing. “They were an advanced, sensitive civilization.” Mark looks back at the painting. “you should go to bed Mark. Wake up early and I will take you into the forest and will visit the lake.” Marks face light up as he nods. 

Mark goes to his room and starts unpacking his stuff. He brought a lot of books and decides to open one of them. The one he was reading right now. He used an old picture of his mother as bookmark. He takes it out of the book and looks at it for a little while before putting it back in. He cleans up a little and eventually goes to bed.

The next morning Mark wakes up by the sound of a car driving away. He quickly runs to the window, only to see his father’s car driving away. A little confused, Mark gets ready for the forest walk with his dad. He packs his backpack, and as usual, he takes one of his books with him. 

As he walks into the kitchen he is greeted by Olga. “Goodmorning.” He says enthusiastically. Olga smiles back. “Goodmorning Mark, did you sleep well?” She asks. “Yes, I did, where’s my dad?”  
Olga ignored him completely. “What do you want for breakfast?” Mark looks at her for a little, but Olga was busy preparing breakfast. Maybe she didn’t hear him. “I’ll just have some tea, but where’s my dad?” Mark asks again. Olga sighs softly. “He’s gone to Arezzo.” Marks expression immediately saddened. “He said he was going to take me to the woods today.”  
“I’m sorry. Mark. He had to go to town for an important meeting for his research.” Mark sighs, “I’ll just go for a walk by myself then.” And he turns around. “You need to eat breakfast Mark.”  
‘It’s okay I’ll eat when I’m back.” Mark says, annoyed. Olga then walks to the dresser and takes out a little bottle of pills and takes 3 out of the bottle and hands them to Mark. He looks at them confused and then looks at Olga. “Your dad prescribed these for you. They’re vitamins and supplements. Your father wants you to be strong and healthy.” Mark takes the pills and then hurries outside

“Everytime my dad would visit me he would talk about the Lake of Idols. Since quitting his job, he has thrown himself passionately into the study of this archaeological side and its secrets. He is obsessed by the stories. And sometimes I find them in my dreams. They aren’t always pleasant. “

Mark arrived at the lake and sat down under a big old tree and grabbed the book out of his backpack.

 

“The Lake of Idols.  
Then the weeds which were forms of living death.  
Fled from the frost to the earth beneath.  
Their decay and sudden flight from frost was but like the vanishing of a ghost.  
And under the roots of the Sensitive Plant.  
The moles and the dormice died of want.  
The birds dropped stiff from the frozen air.  
And were caught in the branches naked and bare…”

 

Mark was distracted when he saw a head of a porcelain doll. Even before he could react, a hand touches his shoulder. Mark jumped back in surprise. He was faced with a little boy. Mark guessed he was around 10 years old. His clothes looked old and worn out. The boy had a piece of cloth bound around his head, covering his eyes. The boy was holding a long stick, so Mark guessed the boy was partly blind. 

“You scared me to death.” Mark says. The boy didn’t react much, so Mark decides to ask him were he is from. The little boy simply replied with sorry. Mark could tell the boy looked a bit scared. “You almost gave me heart attack.” Mark says, laughing a little. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” The boy says. “Does your mom know you’re here?” Mark asks, because he’s slightly concerned about the little boy being alone in the woods.  
“I live together with other children in the hospital of the sick people.” The boy calmly explains. Mark is a little taken a back. “Oh, so it’s like an orphanage. Did you run away?” he asks. The boy doesn’t answer. “I’m Mark by the way.” And Mark reaches out his hand, but quickly realises that the boy isn’t able to see that, so he just grabs his hand. “I’m Chenle.” The boy answers. “I don’t know what an orphan… what you said is. But sometimes, I do run away. Would you take me home? It isn’t that far.” Chenle asks. Mark doubts a little, but eventually decides it might be smart to walk Chenle home. He grabs Chenles hand and the walk into the woods.


End file.
